Extra rear-view mirror for a vehicle

ABSTRACT

An extra rear-view mirror for a vehicle includes a frame mounted upon a rear windshield of the vehicle. The frame includes a bottom having a spherical reflector mounted thereon for reflecting image to a middle rear-view mirror in the vehicle and a thickened side formed opposite to the vehicle. At least one chamber is defined in the thickened side of the frame and at least one opening is defined in the thickened side of the frame and longitudinally communicating with the at least one chamber. At least one projector is disposed in the at least one chamber and electrically connected to a reversing system of the vehicle for promoting the bright effect when the vehicle is reversed.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a mirror, and more particularly to anextra rear-view mirror for a vehicle.

2. Description of Related Art

A driver usually views the back image via three conventional rear-viewmirrors (a middle rear-view mirror, a left rear-view mirror and a rightrear-view mirror) when backing a car. The reversing light is designedfor warning other cars and the people who are situated at the back ofthe car. Consequently, the brightness provided by the reversing light isnot enough (effective distance about 30-50 cm) for the driver to clearlyview the back image when backing the car in dark, especially to astation wagon, a truck or a recreation vehicle. As a result, the stationwagon, a truck or a recreation vehicle usually has an extra rear-viewmirror (1) mounted in the rear thereof and facing the ground, as shownin FIG. 11. The conventional extra rear-view mirror (1) includes aspherical reflector (2) attached thereto for reflecting the rear imageto the middle rear-view mirror (3). As described above, the brightdistance (S) of the reversing light (4) is about 30-50 cm. Consequently,the conventional extra rear-view mirror (1) provides little help to themiddle rear-view mirror (3), and the left and right rear-view mirror(5). It is very dangerous when the car is reversed front of a gutter ora overhanging cliff.

The present invention has arisen to mitigate and/or obviate thedisadvantages of the conventional extra rear-view mirror.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The main objective of the present invention is to provide an improvedextra rear-view mirror for promoting the safety when the vehicle isreversed.

To achieve the objective, the extra rear-view mirror in accordance withthe present invention comprises a frame mounted upon a rear windshieldof the vehicle. The frame includes a bottom having a spherical reflectormounted thereon for reflecting image to a middle rear-view mirror in thevehicle and a thickened side formed opposite to the vehicle. At leastone chamber is defined in the thickened side of the frame and at leastone opening is defined in the thickened side of the frame andlongitudinally communicating with the at least one chamber. At least oneprojector is disposed in the at least one chamber and electricallyconnected to a reversing system of the vehicle for promoting the brighteffect when the vehicle is reversed

Further benefits and advantages of the present invention will becomeapparent after a careful reading of the detailed description withappropriate reference to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an extra rear-view mirror in accordancewith the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the extra rear-view mirror inFIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a second embodiment of the extrarear-view mirror in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the extra rear-view mirror inFIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a third embodiment of the extrarear-view mirror in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the extra rear-view mirror inFIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a fourth embodiment of the extrarear-view mirror in accordance with the present invention;

FIG. 8 is a partially exploded perspective view of the extra rear-viewmirror in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a side operational view of the extra rear-view mirror inaccordance with the present invention;

FIG. 10 is s top operational view of the extra rear-view mirror inaccordance with the present invention; and

FIG. 11 is a side operational view of a conventional extra rear-viewmirror in accordance with the prior art.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to the drawings and initially to FIGS. 1, 2 and 9, an extrarear-view mirror for a vehicle in accordance with the present inventioncomprises a frame (10) mounted upon a rear windshield of the vehicle,and a spherical reflector (10A) mounted on the frame (10) toward amiddle rear-view mirror (3) in the vehicle. The frame (10) has athickened side (11) formed opposite to the vehicle and a groove (12) islaterally defined in the thickened side (11). The groove (12)longitudinally corresponds to the frame (10). An opening (13) is definedin the thickened side (11) and longitudinally communicates with thegroove (12).

A projector (20) is received in the groove (12). In the preferredembodiment of the present invention, the projector (20) is a series ofLEDs (21) that are electrically mounted on a PCB and electricallyconnected to an electric circuit of the vehicle. A distance (R) isformed between the top of the projector (20) and the opening (13) suchthat the light ray from the projector (20) is centralized in the groove(12) to prevent the spherical reflector (10A) from a scattering due to ablaze from the projector (20).

The projector (20) is simultaneously lighted with the reversing light(4) of the vehicle and projects light ray to stretch the bright distance(S) of the reversing light (4) to 300-500 cm. Consequently, the drivercan clearly view the image behind the vehicle from the middle rear-viewmirror (3) that shows the image reflected by the spherical reflector(10A) of the extra rear-view mirror in accordance with the presentinvention.

Further with reference to FIG. 10, the projector (20) of the presentinvention further widens the bright width of the original reversinglight (4) such that the vehicle has a widened bright width (W).Consequently, the driver can clearly view the condition of two sides ofthe vehicle via the left and right rear-view mirrors (4) such that thedriver can immediately previously find the latent dangerous condition.

With reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 that show a second embodiment of theextra rear-view mirror of the present invention, the extra rear-viewmirror in accordance with the present invention comprises a casing (12A)attached to on side of the frame (10) opposite to the vehicle due to adouble sided adhesive tape (121) that is disposed between the casing(12A) and the frame (10). The projector (20) is received in the casing(12A). Consequently, the present invention can be collocated with theconventional extra rear-view mirror.

With reference to FIGS. 5 and 6 that show a third embodiment of theextra rear-view mirror of the present invention, the extra rear-viewmirror in accordance with the present invention comprises a trough (14)defined in the thickened side of the frame (10) and the casing (12A)selectively pivotally received in the trough (14). The projector (20),provided above, is received in the casing (12A). Two through holes (141)are defined in the thickened side and respectively communicate with twoopposite ends of the trough (14). The casing (12A) includes a first endhaving a pivot (122) pivotally extending into a corresponding one of thetwo through holes and a spring (122A) disposed in the casing (12A). Thespring (12A) abuts the pivot (122) to maintain the pivot (122) pivotallyreceived in the corresponding one of the two through holes (141). Thecasing (12A) includes a second end having a threaded rod (123) laterallyextending therefrom. The threaded rod (123) pivotally extends through acorresponding one of the two through holes (141) opposite to the pivot(122). A nut (124) is screwed onto the threaded rod (123) after thethreaded rod (123) extending through the corresponding one of the twothrough holes (141) opposite to the pivot (122) to selectively positionthe casing (12A). As a result, the projecting angle and the brightdistance (L), as shown in FIG. 9, of the projector (20) are adjustable.

With reference to FIGS. 7 and 8 that show a fourth embodiment of theextra rear-view mirror of the present invention, the extra rear-viewmirror in accordance with the present invention comprises two cavities(12B) defined in the thickened side of the frame (10). Two openings (13)are defined in the thickened side of the frame (10) and eachcommunicates with a corresponding one of the two cavities (12B). Twothrough holes (131) is defined in the top of the frame (10) and eachperpendicularly communicates with a corresponding one of the twocavities (12B). Two projectors (20) are respectively received in acorresponding one of the two cavities (12B). In the preferred embodimentof the present invention, the projector is a projecting bulb. A threadedrod (231) pivotally extends through a corresponding one of the twothrough holes (131) and is screwed into a corresponding one of the twoprojectors (20). A nut (232) is screwed onto the threaded rod (231) toselectively position the corresponding projector (20). Consequently, thebright width (W) of the present invention is adjustable.

Although the invention has been explained in relation to its preferredembodiment, it is to be understood that many other possiblemodifications and variations can be made without departing from thespirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

1. An extra rear-view mirror for a vehicle comprising: a frame adaptedto be mounted upon a rear windshield of the vehicle, the frame includinga bottom having a spherical reflector mounted thereon for reflectingimage to a middle rear-view mirror in the vehicle and a thickened sideformed opposite to the vehicle; at least one chamber defined in thethickened side of the frame; at least one opening defined in thethickened side of the frame and longitudinally communicating with the atleast one chamber; at least one projector disposed in the at least onechamber and adapted to be electrically connected to a reversing systemof the vehicle for promoting the bright effect when the vehicle isreversed.
 2. The extra rear-view mirror as claimed in claim 1, whereinthe at least one projector is horizontally and selectively pivotallymounted in the at least chamber such that the bright distance of the atleast one projector is adjustable.
 3. The extra rear-view mirror asclaimed in claim 1, wherein the at least one projector is vertically andselectively pivotally mounted in the at least chamber such that thebright width of the at least one projector is adjustable.
 4. The extrarear-view mirror as claimed in claim 2, wherein the at least oneprojector is a series of LEDs.
 5. The extra rear-view mirror as claimedin claim 2, wherein the at least one projector is a projecting bulb. 6.The extra rear-view mirror as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at leastone projector is a series of LEDs.
 7. The extra rear-view mirror asclaimed in claim 3, wherein the at least one projector is a projectingbulb.